Jump to New Zealand-logo landscape Black 2-1

Before you go. Requirements.

Comply with anything that is required for your visit to New Zealand

Before you travel

Travellers and crew do not need proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter New Zealand. Please check with your airline or cruise provider as they may still require proof of vaccination.

Entry requirements

When you arrive you must prove yourself with:

  1. valid passport or travel document
  2. approved and valid visa or an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority).

Australian and New Zealand citizens do not need a visa or an NZeTA.

You must hold an NZeTA if you are boarding a flight or cruise that leaves for New Zealand, and you:

  • are visiting on a passport from a visa waiver country — that is, a country whose passport holders do not need to get a visa before they travel to New Zealand
  • are passing through Auckland International Airport to another country and travelling on a passport from a visa waiver country or a transit visa waiver country
  • are passing through Auckland International Airport as a transit passenger to or from Australia
  • have a permanent resident visa for Australia that lets you return to Australia from another country
  • are a cruise ship passenger.

You may not be allowed to check in if your passport is not valid for travel to New Zealand. Check that it will not expire until:

  • 3 months after the date you plan to leave New Zealand, or
  • 1 month after the date you plan to leave New Zealand — if your passport was issued by a country that has an embassy or consulate in New Zealand that issues passports of that country.

If you live in New Zealand permanently — for example, if you have a resident visa — your passport only needs to be valid for travel to New Zealand.

Make sure that your passport has not been:

  • damaged
  • reported as lost or stolen, or
  • invalidated by the government that issued it.

Gather the documents you need. Bring with you:

  • a copy of your eVisa letter, and
  • evidence that you can meet the conditions of your visa — for example you can use:
    • your travel ticket to show that you are planning to leave New Zealand, and
    • bank statements to show that you have enough money to live on while you are here.

From Thursday 20 October 2022, you no longer need to complete the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) to enter New Zealand.

Getting to New Zealand

The best way to travel to New Zealand is obviously by air (unless you want to spend a lot of time on a boat). Most major airlines offer direct flights to New Zealand. It’s easy to get here on a non-stop flight from America, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Or you can get a connecting flight from these countries to New Zealand from anywhere in the world.

Looking at a map of the world, New Zealand seems kind of out on its own right? Actually, depending on where you’re coming from, it can be easier to fly from the West Coast of the USA to New Zealand than to fly to from the West Coast to Europe. One of the reasons is that New Zealand is about 12 hours flying time (refer to the flying times map) however the time zones are similar (within three hours). This can seriously help to overcome any jet lag issues. 

Map showing the flight paths from the UK and Europe into New Zealand
Source: firstlighttravel.com

Depending on where you are coming from around the world, there are available flights to New Zealand that fly into Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Queenstown or Dunedin. Auckland Airport (AKL) is a major airline hub and is the most common airport for international flights. Visitors can continue to other destinations through domestic flights from Auckland.

Another popular way to get to and explore the country is by Cruise. Most cruises to New Zealand depart from Australia and the Pacific Islands and some are round-the-world journeys.

You can also contact a travel agent if you need help in planning your New Zealand holiday.

Understanding the International Date Line

New Zealand is one of the first places on earth to see the sun – the inspiration for the First Light Travel name. When you travel from North America, you travel across the International Date Line which means you journey forward in time to get here. So when you leave San Francisco on Friday night you land in Auckland on Sunday morning. Of course you may feel like you’ve lost a day but you’ll gain that back on your return journey. If you’re travelling from Europe you’ll have to move forward in time when you arrive, but you’ll get that time back when you return home.

Airlines Flying to New Zealand

With around 30 airlines having New Zealand as a destination, the choice is quite wide and varied. Check pricing directly with the airline as prices often vary depending on the time of the year and any specials they maybe running.

Recommendations


  1. ALWAYS get a travel insurance. You don’t want to get stranded after an accident or left with an eye watering bill if something happens to you.


  2. Traveling to foreign country can mean a lot. But one of the most annoying thing are different drugs brands and names. Take any medication you need to avoid running between pharmacies asking for the medication you are accustomed to from your home.

Follow @NewZealand

MORE LIKE THIS

Destinations

experiences

events

AOTEAROA.

You may know us only as New Zealand but the native name is Aotearoa.

The name was originally used by Māori in reference to only the North Island, with the name of the whole country being Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu, North Island and South Island. In the pre-European era, Māori did not have one name for the country as a whole.

Several meanings for Aotearoa have been proposed for the name; the most popular translation usually given is “long white cloud”, or variations. This refers to the cloud formations which helped early Polynesian navigators find the country.

Facebook Instagram Youtube

© Travel Exepriences 2022

*Disclaimer: Jump To Oceania S.l. is a private company with no relation or endorsement from the New Zealand government. We are private company specialized in promoting tourism, experiences and tours for New Zealand. All tours and services we are promoting are provided by 3rd parties. We may receive a commission from the purchases coming from our website.